1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing and more particularly to an improved fishing lure for use with natural or artificial bait.
2. Background of the Invention
Various types of fishing lures have been provided by the prior art to sports fishermen. In general, fishing lures may be classified as artificial bait fishing lures and natural bait fishing lures. In an artificial bait fishing lure, the fishing lure provides the total attraction for a fish and simulates the motion, action, sound and appearance of a natural bait. In a natural bait fishing lure, the fishing lure enhances the motion, action, sound and appearance of a natural bait. In the event that the natural bait is dead, the natural bait fishing lure again provides the motion, action and sound of the natural bait in a manner similar to the artificial bait fishing lure.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,017,333 to Zuck discloses a lure with live bait impaling means by which the bait is retained on the lure to permit casting or trolling.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,196,376 to Anderson discloses a means which may be manually gripped for easily inserting an impaling member into the bait, such as a minnow or other small fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,848,836 to Dodd discloses a bait harness that is adapted to facilitate connection and disconnection of the bait to a harness.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,004 to Whalen discloses a live bait harness having a band embracing the body of the live bait comprising two one-piece wire mechanisms one of which is fastened to a band and the other of which is a spreader mechanism for holding a pair of fishhooks spaced apart on opposite sides of the live bait.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,645,031 to Egles discloses a trolling rig for bait fishing having a substantially frustoconical-shaped cap to receive the head of the bait fish. A fish locking pin extends through the openings and the head of the fish for securing the fish to the cap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,135 to Martin discloses a fishing lure adapted to hold live, dead and artificial bait and includes a cup having an open end and a closed end for holding a first portion of a bait therein. Anchors extend from the open end of the cup into a portion of the bait.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,132 to Ellis et al discloses a protector for covering the front face of a "plug-cut herring" to maintain the front face of the plug at a predetermined angle. The protector is a cap having a planar face and a cylindrical wall adapted to extend rearwardly along the sides of the herring when the inside surface of the cap member abuts the front face of the herring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,771 to Robinson discloses a bait holder for holding minnow-type bait having a ring within which the head of the bait has a wedged fit and which is held in position by engagement of a pair of hooks at free ends of a pair of parallel arms extending aft from the ring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,751 to Francklyn discloses an adjustable bait-receiving fishing lure for use in receiving baits. The bait-receiving lure includes a top section and bottom section that cooperatively engage the upper and lower forward portions of a bait.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,848,023 to Ryder et al discloses a fishing lure for use with dead bait fish including a cover having a cavity having projecting barbs for insertion of the head of the bait fish. The cover can be opened to receive the head of the bait fish and can be closed to anchor the fish head within the articulated cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,154 to Andreetti discloses a trolling rig intended for use with ballyhoo. The trolling rig has a conical cap that resembles the head of a ballyhoo with a leader being attached to the leading edge of the cap. A second leader is attached to a rear lower edge of the conical cap and a hook is connected thereto.
In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,895, I disclosed an improved fishing lure for attaching a bait to a fishing line that overcame the difficulties encountered by the prior art. In my subsequent U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,720, I disclosed an enhanced fishing lure capable of being used with a wide variety of natural and artificial baits. It is a primary object of this invention to further improve upon my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,177,895 and 5,329,720 by providing an enhanced fishing lure having a lure head and a lure insert wherein the lure head and the lure insert are maintained on the fishing line in the event the lure insert is separated from the lure head.
Another object of this invention is to provide an enhanced fishing lure for attaching a bait to a fishing line that permits the rapid addition of bait or the rapid removal of bait from the fishing lure.
Another object of this invention is to provide an enhanced fishing lure for attaching of a bait to a fishing line that permits adjusting the position of a hook disposed at a termination end of the fishing line relative to the bait.
Another object of this invention is to provide an enhanced fishing lure for attaching a bait to a fishing line including fin means for stabilizing the movement of the fish lure through the water without undesirable spinning.
Another object of this invention is to provide an enhanced fishing lure for attaching a bait to a fishing line that is substantially weedless.
Another object of this invention is to provide an enhanced fishing lure for attaching a bait to a fishing line that increases the action of the bait as well as the visibility of the bait within the water.
Another object of this invention is to provide an enhanced fishing lure for attaching a bait to a fishing line having an action plate for providing improved action for the fishing lure.
Another object of this invention is to provide an enhanced fishing lure for attaching a bait to a fishing line having an action plate for enabling the fishing lure to be skipped over weed beads.
Another object of this invention is to provide an enhanced fishing lure for attaching a bait to a fishing line having an action plate for providing an enhanced acoustical output of the fishing lure.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention with in the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.